A 73-year-old blind man is suing the NYPD for $45 million, claiming cops assaulted him last month and kept him handcuffed to a hospital bed for nearly 10 hours.

“These two cops entered the sanctity of my client’s apartment without a warrant and acted as judge, jury and executioner,” said attorney Pamela S. Roth, who filed a notice of claim against the city and the NYPD yesterday on behalf of Richard DiBenedetto.

DiBenedetto, a retired U.S. Customs inspector and a father of four, told The Post his ordeal began when two 62nd Precinct patrol cops showed up at his Bath Avenue apartment in Brooklyn about 3 p.m. on Jan. 17. DiBenedetto has lived in the apartment for 36 years.

He said the cops demanded he return a 6-foot aluminum ladder to his landlord. DiBenedetto insisted he owned it.

DiBenedetto, who lost his sight in a hit-and-run accident 15 years ago, claims one of the officers barged into his bedroom and began walking away with the ladder.

When he tried to prevent that, DiBenedetto claims he was punched in the chest by the other officer and had his fingers bent backwards. “I fell down to my knees. I got up and he punched me again,” DiBenedetto said.

Connie Wille, DiBenedetto’s 85-year-old companion, saw part of the confrontation. “The cops could have talked to Richard, but they came in like lunatics and said, ‘Give me the ladder!’ ” she said.

DiBenedetto, who is diabetic and has bladder cancer, was led out in cuffs, but had trouble breathing, Roth said.

He was taken to Coney Island Hospital, where he remained shackled by one wrist to a bed. He was released 10 hours later without charges being filed, she said.

Roth said the incident could be linked to a desire to have DiBenedetto evicted from his rent-controlled apartment, for which he pays just $369.79 per month.

An NYPD spokesman said the department was unfamiliar with the lawsuit and had no comment.